


Blossoming Bud

by Angelle_wings



Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M, Fluffy Angst, two in one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-10 13:55:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11693058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelle_wings/pseuds/Angelle_wings
Summary: Change is slow, tedious and sometimes people are blind to how much they change as a person. Futaba was no exception.





	Blossoming Bud

**Author's Note:**

  * For [meeb0](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=meeb0).



> HAPPY BDAY SQUIDY!!!
> 
> WHAT CAN I WRITE HERE BEFORE I GO ALL FGDSHFSIUFS. I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY. Anyways happy bday to my favorite baguette-dono!! (and also the only baguette-dono i no but will be forever my fav baguette-dono) I know that today is a super important day for you so what better way to kick off this super special day with a rare pair? :D I hope you have a wonderful bday today squid and all your wishes come true! AND I HOPE ANOTHER YUSUKE/FUTABA FIC ON THE TAG IS ONE OF THESE WISHES. ;)
> 
> Also wanna give a big thank you to kisara here on ao3 for being an awesome beta reader! <3

Futaba sighed as she glanced at the phone lying next to her, it was nearly time for everyone to meet up in Leblanc and no one but her was there yet. While waiting for them, she sat by the counter sipping a cup of coffee to kill time. On a daily basis, waiting for them to come from school seemed like a pain and she couldn't help but think how lucky she was having all this free time on her hands. Yet there were times…She couldn’t help feel but a slightly envious when they were at school. No matter how much she has tried to change- going to school was too difficult for her and even knowing she couldn’t help her anxiety, envy still built up in her… They were all living normal lives and here she was living an odd life for a teenager. As she glanced at the time on her phone once more she sighed. 

“What’s wrong Futaba? You are sighing a lot today.” Sojiro glanced up at her as he wiped the cups.

Sojiro was quick to pick up Futaba’s emotions even if she didn’t speak about them- she supposed he was growing used to a father role. ‘A father role’- not even a few months ago was she able to talk to him face-to-face and thanks to Akira a lot has changed to the people around her. But even if her environment changed for the better, it still seemed she didn’t do progress to change as a person and it truly concerned her. How long was she meaning to put up this happy family charade and stay locked up at home? How long was she going to let people watch her backs for her as she tries to change? And most importantly, how long was she going to proceed to worry Sojiro? But despite the disturbing thoughts haunting her…  She was not going to bother Sojiro with them. 

After a small hesitation, Futaba decided to settle with a lie.  “I’m bored of waiting for them! When will they show?”

It wasn’t entirely a lie but Sojiro bought it and with a hearty laugh he said. “Well- I can’t speed up time- you gotta wait.”

She was glad she managed to get him to buy it and yet, even if lying to him was her decision, it still didn’t feel right lying to Sojiro. But Futaba couldn’t help it, she already worried him enough- he was doing a lot for her to grow, gave her a roof over her head, food and most of all acted akin to a father to her. She was grateful- even more than that. He was doing a lot for her already. And so, she convinced herself, lying to him was the right thing- the least she can do was not add any more worries to his plate.

Futaba’s phone vibrated and she let out a little yelp. A message at this time? No one usually messages her now. Curious, she unlocked her phone and, after seeing the ID, she rolled her eyes- it was just Yusuke. It read: ’Futaba, are you on now?’

She sighed and responded: ‘Ya I am now Inari.’

The phone vibrated in Yusuke’s hands and a smile appeared on his face at the swift response. He needed her now and perhaps luck was (for once) on his side.  He typed in: ‘I have an urgent matter to discuss with you.’

Futaba raised a brow- ‘urgent'? This guy doesn’t know urgent- the last time he messaged her that he has an ‘urgent matter to discuss’  she grew concerned but it was just he had no money to eat. She isn’t dumb- she knows that people can die if they don’t eat but it wasn’t like she grew money on trees either. (Or left the house alone as a matter of fact) So she answered: ‘If urgent is that you want food I’ll tell Sojiro to make you something before you come.’

He laughed- that wasn’t it this time, and he replied with: ‘It’s something else actually- it’s about you this time around.’

About her? Futaba was hoping this guy isn’t delusional after the lack of food in his diet but she replied nonetheless with: ‘… Alright wassup.’ 

After minutes of delay, a picture was sent to her. She clicked it and surprisingly it was a pretty normal picture (with Yusuke she never knew what to expect.)  The picture was a picture of a concrete pavement, which, she assumed, was a sidewalk. But Yusuke seemed to zoom in on a rather small white flower with five tiny petals, it was an odd place for a flower to grow, she admitted, but it wasn’t anything someone gave a second glance to. Well… Except for Yusuke in this case. She got it was a normal picture of a flower but what made her confused was: How was a picture of a flower about her? 

A message accompanied the picture with: ‘I was on my way to Leblanc and saw this flower and it reminded me of you.’

Futaba got even more confused- reminded him of her? Was it because it was as small as her? If so, she was gonna have to punch him. But she didn’t have enough power to punch anyways so she might get Akira to punch him for her. And how in the world was that urgent?

She quickly typed in: ‘Is it because it’s as small as me? Inari-‘

But before she could continue typing her phone vibrated once more with Yusuke adding: ‘It’s a small flower, yes, but it was growing bravely on the side of the street, despite knowing people can trample it over and knowing well how fragile it is and it still grew to show its white petals.’

Futaba paused- she wasn’t too sure what Yusuke was getting at or what she was to say about this and so she quickly deleted her message waiting for him to clarify.

After a few moments, he responded: ‘I called the flower Futaba- because it reminded me of you and how you are changing as a person and trying hard to grow.’

Futaba was dumbfounded- she read the message a couple of times- who in the world would name a flower? And… Was did he exactly mean by trying to change and grow? She was barely doing anything and yet-

Her phone buzzed once more with a message from him: ‘Besides doesn’t your name Futaba mean a bud? A wonderful name symbolizing growth.’

Her face became a bright red- Yusuke was weird- she was convinced and without much thought, she typed in quickly: ‘What?? That flower is nothing like me!!!’ 

It wasn’t like her, it truly wasn’t. Everyone thought she changed and even Yusuke- the dense one of the group was saying such… irritatingly nice words? And somehow she didn’t deserve it, especially not out of Yusuke.  

Yusuke raised a brow- he supposed it was a lot like her and yet… He replied: ‘Really? I think it was a lot like you- you may be a small flower but a growing one at that. Despite how hard the world is around you and scary the people look around you, you still are trying your best to bud like a flower and I think that is wonderful.’

The message again left her with a burning face. She didn’t enjoy this annoying feeling. What was this guy saying? How can he say those stuff without a thought? Was he mocking her? No, she knew Yusuke didn’t know how to mock, he must have genuinely said his feelings. So why was she feeling like this? But now she realized everyone was expecting her to change, everyone- even Yusuke thought this and yet she wasn’t doing anything special- she was still lazing around. And it hurt- she was letting them all down.

Futaba decided it was time she had to reply genuinely to get rid of this irritating feeling with whatever craziness he plans to say next: ‘Inari, thanks. But it's not like I changed all that much. Trust me. I am still lazing waiting for you guys to come here I haven’t improved a single bit.’’

It barely took a moment and there was a reply from him: ‘What do you mean?’

What did he think it meant? It meant she didn’t change- and how would she explain that better than she has?

It was quickly followed by: ‘We all changed. Ann, Haru, Makoto, Ryuji, Ann and me but especially you Futaba- you have changed a lot. Probably more than all of us.’

She stared at the message. He was wrong. He was wrong- there was nothing she did to change. All she has done was rely on the people around her to help her. She was like a child who can barely do anything without supervision. Without the Phantom Thieves and without Sojiro… She was hopeless and nothing more than pain to other people.

Her phone buzzed once more: ‘You may forget but… You barely talked to us a few months back. You never left the house, you talked to us through messages, don’t get me started on how much trouble you caused us to get into your room. But here you are, trying your best to change today.’

Futaba blinked- was that how Yusuke saw her? She interrupted: ‘Am I not annoying? I am forever relying on you guys and Sojiro- I barely leave the house- I don’t even go to school. If anything, I know I may have changed but I am here still relying on you all.’

‘What’s wrong with relying on us all? If you hadn’t, you may have never changed. Besides, no one finds it annoying- we all are by your side because we chose to. You have changed a lot- you may not be going to school but you are changing at your own pace which is beautiful just like that flower is growing at its own pace on the side of street. (Besides there are times we rely on you Oracle- you play a big role in the Phantom Thieves too.)’ He replied.

Futaba read it once more, but one sentence caught her eye: ’We all are by your side because we chose to.’  Perhaps Yusuke was right. Change was slow, it took time- a lot more time than anyone would expect. But thanks to everyone, Sojiro, and the Phantom Thieves, she was truly changing. If someone were to tell her she would be able to leave the house a few months ago she wouldn’t have believed them. And yet, here she was at the counter in Leblanc drinking a cup of coffee. She may have been blind all this time to her change but she was, no doubt, changing to become a better person. 

As Futaba read it again her cheeks slowly started to feel a bit wet- this was his fault and yet… She couldn’t blame him. It was thanks to him she felt for the first time in a while like this. For the first time, she felt a little free. Free from the worries lurking in the back of her mind. And how grateful Futaba was that Yusuke wasn’t here to tease her as she decided to type: ‘Thank you Inari.’


End file.
